11 Tips for Instagram Ads to Boost Brand Awareness + ROI

An effective Instagram campaign incorporates key elements like storytelling, eye-catching visuals, and engaging audio. Here are our experts’ top tips for Instagram ads that make the most of your budget.

Data shows more than half of social users turn to Instagram to find their next purchase.

That means that, with over 3 billion active users, Instagram ads offer a massive opportunity to boost brand awareness, reach potential customers, and increase conversions.

But successfully advertising on the social platform isn’t about the right hashtag — it’s all about strategy.

Below, digital marketing expert and HawkSEM Paid Media Manager Natalie Hughes lets us in on her top tips for creating Instagram campaigns — and what mistakes we should avoid.

A business profile offers insights into your audience, posts, and ads that help set your Instagram marketing efforts up for success. (Image: Unsplash)

11 tips for successful Instagram ads

Are you ready to run Instagram ads that rake in more revenue? Include these tips in your marketing strategy for social media success.

1. Choose the right ad format

To take full advantage of the opportunities, review the different types of Instagram ads available:

• Story ads: Full-screen ads that appear between a user’s Instagram Story posts
• Image or photo ads: Standard in-feed ads
• Video ads: Videos that play automatically in the user’s feed
• Reels: Ads that play between Reels with a Sponsored label under the account name — visually similar to Story ads
• Carousel ads: Several photos or videos for users to swipe through
• Collection ads: Ads allowing the user to buy the product directly from the platform instead of being led to an external website
• Shopping ads: Ads that take users to product description pages within the app
• Paid partnerships: Appear as “paid partnership with (brand name and tag)” in an influencer’s post
• Explore ads: Ads that appear when users click on a photo or video in the “Explore” section

Pro tip: Before diving into these #Insta marketing tips, make sure your company’s profile is an Instagram Business Account, not a personal Instagram account. A business profile offers insights into your audience, posts, and ads that help set your Instagram marketing efforts up for success.

2. Consider Instagram costs when setting your budget

How much do IG ads cost? Here are some metrics and pricing info to keep in mind:

• Cost per thousand impressions (CPM): Typically ranges from $0.01 – $0.25.
• Cost per click (CPC): Averages between $0.40 and $0.70.
• Cost per action (CPA): Often lower on Instagram for conversions, as its visually-driven content encourages quicker decision-making from Instagram users.

Instagram uses an auction-based bidding system to determine which ads are shown. The platform prioritizes ads that are most valuable and relevant to users, based on factors such as:

• Bid amount
• Likelihood of user action
• Ad quality and relevance

The cost of your bid can also depend on:

• Target audience demographics: Ads targeting multiple or highly competitive demographics tend to cost more. Understanding your audience’s engagement behavior can help you optimize targeting and budget.
• Timing: Costs may rise during peak activity periods or high-demand seasons as more brands compete for visibility.
• Ad type and placement: Different formats (e.g., Stories, Reels, Feed ads) and placements come with varying CPCs and performance outcomes.

Pro tip: Use the audience targeting option “lookalike audiences” to target users with similar interests and online behaviors as your existing customers. This can increase engagement rate and conversions — learn more about lookalike audiences here.

(Image: Intuit Instagram video ad screenshot)

3. Prioritize video content

“A static ad strategy won’t cut it anymore,” says Hughes. Instead, she suggests marketers focus on creating dynamic video content.

“Tools like Canva and Meta’s generative AI video advertising can help transform still images into engaging motion assets, making your ads more captivating,” she adds.

Pro tip: With the platform shifting towards short-form content, Instagram ad formats like Reels and Stories can lead to higher brand recall and influence purchasing decisions, according to Hughes.

4. Split-test your ads

It’s hard to pinpoint the perfect Instagram ad design from scratch. What may have worked for other social media marketing (SMM) channels could fail on this particular platform.

That’s why it’s best to split or A/B test several ad designs simultaneously to see which one gets the most clicks.

Test and adjust elements like:

• Call-to-action (CTA) ad copy
• Image placement
• Video length
• Ad creative
• Colors
• Landing page buttons
• Text and element positioning

Hughes suggests experimenting with diverse ad formats, such as carousel ad sets and Stories ads, to determine which resonates best with your audience.

To make sure your ads look appealing, you need to learn the parameters. (Image: Unsplash)

5. Cater your ads to the platform

Most Instagram viewers aren’t looking for highly polished, professional-looking ads.

Feature your “hero” (buyer persona) in a situation your target audience can relate to. You don’t need a big production budget — instead, focus on creating content that feels like an organic Instagram post.

Aim for visuals that blend seamlessly into your audience’s feed while maintaining overall high quality (clear, well-lit, and never pixelated or blurry).

6. Learn the proper ad specs

Each Instagram ad format has its own size specs — know them to keep your ads looking clean and professional.

Technical requirements for Instagram Feed ads

Images:

• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Minimum aspect ratio: 400 x 500
• Maximum aspect ratio: 191 x 100
• Recommended ratio: 1:1

Videos:

• Video length: 1 second to 1 hour
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Minimum resolution: 1,080 x 1,080 pixels
• Recommended ratio: 4:5

Carousel:

• Number of Carousel Cards: Minimum of 2, maximum of 10
• Maximum file size: video – 4GB, image – 30MB
• Video length: 1 second to 2 minutes
• Recommended ratio: 1:1

Technical requirements for Instagram Stories ads

Images:

• Maximum file size: 30MB
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Recommended ratio: 9:16

Videos:

• Length of video: 1 second to 1 hour
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Recommended resolution: 1,080 x 1,080
• Recommended ratio: 9:16

Hughes says short video content, typically between 5 to 15 seconds, tends to perform best, with average viewer retention rates ranging from 15% to 30%.

This means brands have only 1-4 seconds to make a compelling impact, making the initial moments crucial for capturing attention.

Technical requirements for Instagram Explore ads

Images:

• Minimum resolution: 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Minimum width: 500 pixels
• Recommended ratio: 9:16

Videos:

• Minimum resolution: 1080 x 1080 pixels
• Maximum file size: 4GB
• Video length: 1 second to 1 hour
• Recommended ratio: 4:5

If your image or video specs are wrong, the app will crop them according to its needs. This could inadvertently turn your perfectly-designed ad into something confusing, sloppy, and ineffective.

Instead, try to maximize the usage of the available space as much as you can and make use of every pixel allowed by the app.

Pro tip: Instagram’s design recommendations include using a .jpg or .png file, uploading the highest resolution image available, and keeping in mind that only two rows of text will automatically display.

7. Leverage of user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is a highly efficient Instagram marketing tool.

You can partner with creators through dedicated UGC platforms.

Additionally, when your customers take photos and videos of themselves using or recommending your product, you can ask the creator for permission to repost this content on your page.

Pro tip: Leveraging partnership ads and UGC can significantly enhance a campaign, especially for brands that have limited video production capabilities. Hughes says collaborating with content creators or encouraging customers to share their experiences creates authentic content that resonates well with audiences.

(Image: Industrious Instagram ad screenshot)

8. Understand your audience

Instagram is a dynamic environment, and tons of content is posted every day. That means that to continue grabbing attention, understanding your target audience is crucial.

“Create relatable content that resonates with them, as users are more likely to engage with ads that reflect their interests and experiences,” Hughes suggests.

Not sure where to start? Focus on connecting with your target audience by telling compelling brand stories through engaging content.

Pro tip: Hughes says Instagram is particularly effective for reaching Gen Z (approximately ages 18-28) and Millennial audiences (approximately ages 29-44), with audience demographics showing a fairly balanced reach between men and women.

9. Foster a healthy organic strategy

“High-engagement organic posts can significantly boost your paid ads,” says Hughes.

She recommends using well-performing organic content to fill content gaps and enhance your overall ad strategy.

If you’re only posting advertising content, your page may be more likely to get buried in the algorithm or seen as not as authentic compared to competitors who post organic content along with paid ads.

10. Review Instagram Insights

Facebook Ads Manager (aka Meta Ads, since Meta owns Facebook and Instagram) has several useful tools to help track your ad performance.

You can also monitor ad performance directly using Instagram Insights.

“Analyze data to identify successful trends, [so you can] streamline your content needs and enhance future campaigns,” Hughes says.

Pro tip: The increase or decrease in conversions isn’t always an indication of your campaign’s quality. By keeping track of a variety of metrics, you’ll know which ads deserve an extra budget and which tactics need to be dropped.

11. Ecommerce brands: Set up and optimize Instagram Shops

If you sell products online, an Instagram Shop lets users browse and buy directly from your profile.

To get started, connect your product catalog through Meta Commerce Manager and tag products in your posts, Stories, and Reels.

“Set up your Instagram Shop effectively to streamline the shopping experience,” says Hughes.

This means organizing products into clear collections, adding detailed descriptions, and using high-quality images. Regularly refresh your catalog with new or seasonal items, and monitor performance insights to refine your listings over time.

Integrating product tags in posts and Stories also enhances user experience and simplifies the purchasing process.

“This can lead to better performance, as users often explore products on Instagram before visiting your website to learn more and purchase.”

Pro tip: In addition to facilitating direct purchases, Instagram fosters a sense of community that helps brands build social credibility, according to Hughes. Big brands and small businesses alike can connect with their consumers and followers by engaging in comments, sharing UGC, and posting buyer stories to enhance brand loyalty and cultivate a deeper relationship with the audience.

8 Instagram ad mistakes to avoid

There will always be a certain amount of trial, error, and unknowns when it comes to marketing campaigns, especially on paid social.

However, these are the common mistakes Hughes has seen, so you can avoid falling into the same traps.

1. Jumping on every trend

It can be tempting to dive into every trending challenge or meme, but this risks diluting your brand’s identity. Instead, assess whether a trend aligns with your values and resonates with your audience before jumping in.

Your time is likely better spent creating more evergreen content that speaks to your audience rather than chasing fleeting trends.

Further reading: How to Turn Viral Trends Into Paid Social Ads That Convert

2. Creating overly promotional content

Ads that come off as too sales-driven can alienate users. Instead, aim to provide value through storytelling or educational content that feels organic and integrates smoothly into users’ feeds.

3. Ignoring audience engagement

Failing to interact with your audience means missing out on building a loyal community. Don’t forget to use Instagram features like polls, quizzes, and question stickers to encourage interaction and gather feedback from your followers.

4. Failing to optimize for mobile

Since Instagram is primarily accessed via mobile devices, ensure your ads (and website) are visually appealing and easily viewable on small screens. Use high-quality visuals and keep text readable to enhance user experience.

5. Overcomplicating messaging

Keep your messaging clear and concise. Avoid lengthy narratives and focus on key points using Instagram’s creative tools to emphasize important information without overwhelming the visuals.

6. Failing to monitor performance

Regularly analyze ad performance using Instagram Insights. Understanding what works and what doesn’t is essential for refining your strategies and improving results.

7. Using automatic ad placements without appropriate content

If your content doesn’t suit all placements, avoid using automatic placements, as this can waste ad spend. Always check how your visuals look across different placements to maintain quality.

8. Being inauthentic

If you’ve defined your brand well, then you know your core values and voice. As such, followers can usually tell when you stray from your authentic style.

The takeaway

Paid Instagram advertising goes beyond single-image ads that appear in a user’s feed.

To build a successful Instagram ad campaign, take advantage of the targeting options and ad formats — from building custom audiences to creating authentic videos that tell your story.

Looking for more social media marketing advice? You’ve come to the right place.

This article has been updated and was originally published in May 2020.